Family of Missouri woman who died in Playa del Carmen want answers

The family of a Missouri woman whose boyfriend was held in connection with her death in Playa del Carmen said Wednesday March 9 they don’t know what to think.

Tamra Turpin never complained about John Loveless, the relatives said in a news conference in Union, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb where she lived.

Her sister, Jodi Mills, described Loveless as nice and generous. “John offered to stay with the body and said he would pay for all the expenses to get her back,” Mills explained. “She never mentioned ever not feeling safe with John.”

Mills said, “We would like to know what really happened. We want to get to the bottom of it.”

Mexican authorities were holding Loveless, 59, a lawyer who practices in the St. Louis area. They said an autopsy showed that Turpin, 36, had died of asphyxiation.

Mills, 43, of Mexico, Mo., said a second autopsy was conducted at the request of the Loveless family but she did not know the results.

Tamra Turpin’s sister, mother and stepfather hold her photo at a news conference Wednesday March 9 in Missouri. (PHOTO: stltoday.com)

She was joined by her mother, Evalena Duncan, 60, and stepfather, John Duncan, 65, of Grand Prairie, Texas.

Turpin died March 2 at a rented condominium in Playa del Carmen. Loveless was arrested at the Cancun airport on his way back.

Mills said Turpin and Loveless had taken other vacations together. Her family said Loveless had told them Turpin overdosed on prescription medication, went to a hospital with seizures, was released but “still wasn’t right” before dying.

“We are still numb and in shock and out of tears at this point,” Mills said.

The family expects Turpin’s remains to be returned to Union on Thursday or Friday.